On recent home inspections, I had the disappearing disposal - twice in one week!

I pay attention when notes are left for me at home inspections. They are usually very helpful. Sometimes they are downright devious.

The most recent was yesterday. The photos would have been very similar to these posted here.

In each house there was a note that said something like, "Since there is a septic system, you will notice there is no disposal."

How nice.

This is a note left by a "savvy" real estate agent, or a "savvy" seller convincing a not-so-savvy real estate agent that the house has been really well cared for! Somebody knows that it is really best NOT to have a disposal with a septic system. And if there is one, great care needs to be taken with what is put into it.

But in each of these houses with the helpful note, there was a switch on the wall that seemed to control nothing.

Since there was another switch in BOTH houses that controlled the light over the sink, what oh what could the useless switch do?

SWITCHES AREN'T IN WALLS FOR NO REASON.

In both houses, there was brand-new drain plumbing under the sink.

AND UNBELIEVABLY IN BOTH HOUSES THERE WAS A BARE CABLE HANGING THERE, CONNECTED TO NOTHING, WITH THE END SIMPLY CLIPPED OFF!

Not curled up in the corner, no wire nuts over the ends of the bare wires, simply hanging there. And the end clipped off!

AND WHEN THE SWITCHES IN BOTH HOUSES WERE TURNED ON THE CABLES WERE HOT!

I always tease my clients a bit asking them to hold my hand as I touch the end of the cable and they turn on the switch.

For some reason they don't want to hold my hand! Reason unknown...

AND IN BOTH CASES, THE SEPTIC FIELDS HAD PROBLEMS, WITH YESTERDAY'S SMELLING AS BAD AS ANY SEPTIC FIELD I HAVE EVER BEEN PRIVILEGED TO WALK ON TOP OF! GEE, COULD THESE "SAVVY" PEOPLE KNOW THERE ARE SEPTIC PROBLEMS TOO?

My recommendation: I expect there are those who get away with sneaking things past their buyers and/or home inspectors. But it really is low brow and when the inspector does figure things out (not too hard in both cases above) it puts a real kibosh on the sale. The lack of trust created is very, very hard to overcome.

In both of these cases the buyers decided to back out. And not because of anything I said. Just because of the lack of trust generated by such an overtly sneaky act.

P.s. In both houses there was a breaker in the panel box labeled "Disposal." Often it is spelled "Dispozel," but still it's pretty clear... And such notes are really, really not very smart.

So jay, are you thinking they had this disconnected just prior to closing? Honestly, when I moved in my home, had a new septic installed, i had the garbage disposal removed but the switch still remains but not hot! Interesting and devious what you found

Oh yes, not very smart at all...well unless the objective is to kill the deal. People need to remember that even if they fool the buyer, they won't usually fool the inspector and it's way worse to lose the deal then.

Garbage disposals are real killers to septic systems. Here in New Hampshire, new homes built with a septic system and garbage disposal require the treatment tank to be 50% larger. So, in a 4 bedroom home that usually has a 1500 gallon treatment tank, the tank would be increased by 750 gallons.

Maine requires a filter in the outlet baffle but these filters need frequent cleaning, often more than the pumping schedule.

Another killer of septic systems is the backwash from water softening system. The salt in these systems are backwashed into the main drain and go out into the treatment tank and kill the healthy bacteria that helps break down the sludge. New Hampshire now allows the backwash from water treatment system to back wash into a dry well.

Good morning, Jay....it's illegal to install a garbage disposal if you have private sewage ..... thank god for town sewer.... I really enjoy reading the outrageously dangerous things you find during your inspections....

Posted by Barbara Todaro, Marketing Agent for The Todaro Team (RE/MAX Executive Realty ) about 7 years ago

Agreed to all Peter! I have seen disposals made for septic systems, but don't have enough information to know how well they do. And in both cases above the septic system had problems. Why? And one of these houses did have a softener that flushed into the septic system! But it was bypassed and unplugged! Hmmm...

I skeptical of those disposal that are "septic safe". To early to tell if they actually work. Had a bad system the other day. The inspector opened the D box, which was full of gook and cigarette butts. Another killer of leaching fields.

Posted by James Quarello, Connecticut Home Inspector (JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC) about 7 years ago

I agree Jim. I have read some things that don't turn me on or off as to those disposals. And cigarette butts! Wow, why not just flush a couple of wind breakers down the toilet!

The problem with garbage disposals is the food particles become suspended in the clear liquid layer instead of sinking to the bottom of the treatment tank. Suspended food particles can then flow out of the tank with the effluent. Eventually these particles make their way into the effluent disposal area where they clog the field.

Food particles make their way on to the leaching field eventually rendering it useless. If you have a septic and a garbage disposal get it pumped once a year or more often if you have a large family.

Posted by Edward Gilmartin (CRE) about 7 years ago

I had one of those systems with a filter... what a pain that was! Every 6 weeks or so I was digging it up and washing out the filter. Not my way of enjoying a day off!

Peter, you are right, water softener backwash water will kill your bacteria. I actually made my own french drain and routed that water to drain there. I'm not really a sptic fan anymore, although they can be very effective if treated properly.

wow! yet another thing to look for when evaluating homes! thanks for the tip

Posted by Margo Otey (REMAX EXECUTIVE REALTY) about 7 years ago

Hi Jay - Many people do not know that disposals and septic tanks should not be used together. This is a valuable post.

Posted by FN LN about 7 years ago

Just when I thought I had heard it all. That's certainly a new one.

Posted by Ralph Janisch ABR CRS Broker, Selling Northwest Houston to good people like you! (Janisch & Co.) about 7 years ago

Jay, at least the switch and wire are there for when they get around to hooking the house up to the city sewer :) Most jurisdictions around here do not allow disposals on septic systems and some city jurisdictions are thinking of banning them all together because of the demands they place on treatment plants.

Hey Jay...do people really believe we're as unobservant and idiotic as they are. What's the saying? "Stupid people are breeding" and ruining their septic systems on the way. Interesting about the breaker box label...duh!

We do have some homes with septic systems in the more rural parts of the markets we serve....none that we have seen to date with garbage disposals....and the non mechanical Hanson that I am ....even I know that....blog on !

Jay -- they could have disconnected the wiring in the switch box, to keep the power from flowing into the cut wire, or even thrown the circuit breaker (since removing it would have opened up another hole in their story).